“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Rom. 12:2 (NIV)

The world, the enemy and our old self are all fighting to win over our mind to the pattern of this world. The new self and the Holy Spirit are battling to free our mind from the pattern of this world and renew it with eternal truth.

Our mind is the battlefield, and the objective is the way we view the world.

Our worldview is how we view the world around us. It is the lens through which we interpret everything that happens to us. Our worldview helps us set our values, make decisions, and establish goals.

Our worldview will either allow us to be effective followers of Jesus, or cause us to waste our lives in this world.

That’s why the battle for our mind is so critical.

The battle is ongoing from the time we wake until we fall asleep.

Paul writes that we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world. This means that we are not to take on the mindset of this world. We are not to adopt the values, priorities, and thought patterns of this world.

This world values the immediate over the eternal. It promotes results over character. This world prizes material wealth over personal peace. The world esteems accomplishment over a relationship with God.

The medical world is no different.

Fortunately, the outcome of this battle is up to us. We have ultimate control over our minds even though we are influenced by a number of different factors. We can affect the outcome of this battle by committing to doing just a few things.

The first is to commit to taking adequate time each day to be alone with God, read His Scripture, and pray to Him.

The second is to allow our thinking to be changed by Him.

This will shift the battle in our favor and allow the Holy Spirit to do the necessary work to renew our minds. Otherwise, we become stuck in our thinking and conformed to the pattern of this world.